Fare-indicator.



No. 718,259. PATENTED JAN. 1a, 1903.

0. KUNTZEN & A. KAHLE.

FARE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1902.

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No. 718,259. PATENTE-D' JAN 18, 1903. O. KUNTZENK; A. KAHLE; I

FARE INDICATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 25, 1902.

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THE NORRIS PEYERS co. mofou'rna. WASHINGTON, me.

, PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903. O. KUNTZEN & A. KAHLE.

FARE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1902.

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E: \l r ExYSfS= No. 718,259. PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903. 0. KUNTZEN & A.KAHLE.

FARE INDICATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 25, 1902.

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No: 718,259. PATENTBD JAN. 13, 1903. 0. KUNTZEN & A. KAHLE.

FARE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1902.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N0 MODEL.

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"NiTsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO KUNTZEN AND AUGUST KAHLE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

FARE-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,259, dated January13, 1903.

Application filed April 25, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, OTTO KUNTZEN and AUGUST KAHLE, subjects of theGerman Emperor, and residents of Berlin, Germany, have inventedImprovements in Fare-Indicators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has for its object to provide an improved fare-indicatingmechanism for cabs or the like, and particularly one adapted for usewhere the custom is to charge a primary rate of fare for all distanceswithin a certain basic limit and to indicate such primary fare on theface of the indicator at all timesuntil said basic distance has beentraveled and then to successively indicate totals, advancing as farthersecondary distances are traversed, more particularly distances that area multiple of the primary basic distance for which the basic charge hasbeen indicated and for which secondary distance a different rate of fareis generally charged. This will of course vary with what constitutes thebasic distance selected and what constitutes the certain primary ratecharged therefor and will therefore generally vary according to thecustom of the place where the indicator is to be used. By way ofexample, we would state that in Berlin, Germany, fifty pfennigs (primaryrate) are charged for eight hundred meters, (basic distance,) while tenpfennigs (secondary rate) are charged for each additional fourhundredmeters, (secondary distance.)

Heretofore special means have been provided whereby the mechanism whichadvances or feeds the indicating means may be set out of action whilethe basic distance is being traversed, and then such feed mechanism isput into operation when the basic distance has been traversed. Thesespecial means for throwing the feed mechanism out of and into action aretroublesome and liable to lead to mistakes.

By our invention the need of stopping the feed of the indicator whilethe basic distance is being traversed is entirely avoided. This objectwe accomplish by providing a regular intermittent feed for theindicator-face and repeating the basic rate indication on the indicator-face as many times as the basic distance is a multiple of thesecondary distance. Thus in the case of the Berlin rates, the sec-Serial No. 104,710. (No model.)

ondary distance (four hundred meters) being one-half the basic distance,(eight hundred meters,) the mechanism is constructed to feed theindicator forward once every four hundred meters, and the basic rateindication therefore appears twice in succession on the indicator-face,thus 00, 50, 50,

Our invention also consists of other features of constructionhereinafter disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of part of anindicator, showing the disks before a fare has entered the cab, theindicator-face carrying pfennig and mark figures for the Berlin rates.By way of example, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of theindicator when eighteen hundred meters have been traversed and a chargecontracted of M 1.50 pfennigs. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of anindicator, showing the operating parts. Figs. 4 and 6 are sideelevations of a detail for accomplishing the proper checking of theindicator-disk. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with theindicator-disks in another position. Fig. 7 is a partial sectional planof the actuating mechanism for the pfennig-disk. Fig. 8 is a view of themarks-disk. Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations of Figs. 7 and 8,respectively; and Fig. 11 is a partial view on the line 3 3, Fig. 3,showing the setting-cams.

The fare-indicator is provided with three semicircular disks 0., b, andc, the first of which, 0,, indicates the pfennigs in the caseillustrated, the second, I), the marks, and the third, 0, the tens ofmarks. For convenience of reference we will speak of theseindicatorfaces as disks. It is obvious in practice any other well-knownform of indicator means may be employed. The indicator-disk ahas thefigures 0O, 50, (80,77 (90,77 (00,77 (10,77 (20,77 (30,77 40 insuccession on its face. The disk a by means of an arm a. is mounted torevolve on a pin h, secured to the face-plate of the indicator. A spring19, suit-ably secured to the pin and to the arm, tends always to returnthe disk to the position shown in Fig. 1. Two ratchet-wheels f f, havingoppositelyfacing teeth, are secured together by a screw 2 and areadapted to turn the arm 0t and disk a, as hereinafter described. Theouter wheel fis operated through a pawl c, secured on a pivoted arm 61,operated by any well-known means, through a chain or the like, at giventimes, so as to advance the ratchet f one tooth at every traverse of thevehicle equal to four hundred meters. The inner wheel f serves toadvance the strip-arm a by means of a pawl a secured to the arm a, sothat the arm and strip are normally advanced with the wheels. A safetycatch-pawl y normally prevents the springp from returning the disk a andratchet-wheelfafter the pawl has advanced them. A flange q,semicircularly arranged around the wheel f and having an opening q nearits upper end and a springpressed pawl 0 at its lower end, is suitablysecured to the face-plate. (See Fig. 9.) When all the numerals of thedisk at up to and past 40 have been successively brought before the slitor opening in the face of the indicator, this pawl 0 acts upon a pin aon the pawl a throws the pawl (1/ out of contact with the wheel f, andalso throws the pin a to the outer periphery of the flange q, where itis retained out of contact with the wheel f, which is thereupon returnedtoward its normal position by the spring 1). When the pin 0. comesopposite the opening q of the flange, it passes through the opening andagain engages the wheelf. The disk (1, though moving toward its originalposition, has, however, been prevented from reaching that position andoccupies the position of Fig. 2. This is accomplished by a detent devicer.

A stud S is secured to the arm a, and when the disk a is in the positionshown in Fig. 3 it is free and clear of a pivoted detent-lever 1' byreason of such lever being moved on its pivot 1" against the action ofspring .2 by means hereinafter described; but when said lever isinfluenced by the spring alone, as it is at all times except whencontrolled by cams hereinafter described, the said stud S is stopped inthe position of Figs. 3 and 6 by its coming into contact with the freeend of the lever I, as will readily be understood. Upon the release ofthe spring from the position of Fig. 3 the detent 1" will take up theposition shown in Fig. 4, the disk, however, remaining in the positionshown in Fig. 3. This does not prevent the freedom of movement of thedisk until after the pin S has moved from under the detent r and allowedit to fall and become a stop and insures the return of the disk (7, fromthe numeral 40 to the second numeral 50 instead of to the first 50, asis obviously necessary when the indication passes beyond 1.40.

That the indicator may at will be set into and out of action we mount acam-shaft o in suitable bearings. This shaft carries a cam u and a camprojection c On the pin 71 we loosely mount a sector Z, having a pin Zon one of its extending peripheral arms, to which is secured a spring ZThis pin Z bears against the pivoted detent device '1' and serves tomove it against its spring at the proper times. The lower extendingperipheral arm terminates in a cam-step Z to be acted on by theprojection 2: The lever 01 has an extending lip d, on which the nose Wof a pivoted lever W is adapted to bear when said lever W is in theposition shown in Fig. 3. This lever W has a cam-lip W, to be acted onby the cam v. Secured to the sector Z near its center is a depending armZ adapted in its lower position to bear on and move the pawl p out ofcontact with the ratchet-wheel f.

In order that the indicator-disk for pfennigs may serve to operate thatfor the marks, we secure a spring-pressed arm a to the disk a in such aposition that it will operate a transfer-lever t when 90 has passed theslit. This lever 25 is pivoted at one end t and carries a spring-pressedpawl t, which engages with a ratchet-wheel g, mounted in thefaceplate. Adisk I) is secured to the ratchet-wheel by an arm Z). At each movementof the pawl 2f the wheel 9 is advanced one tooth. A pawl 7t prevents thereturn of the wheel, While a spring 19 Fig. 8, tends to return it tozero. Thisratchet-wheel g has a channel g Fig. 10, and a spring gtherein for a purpose hereinafter described. A second ratchet-wheel c isindependently and loosely mounted, carrying the tensvdisk c. A spring 0tends to keep this strip at zero, while a pawl i normally prevents itsreturn. A pawl to, having a pin it normally riding on a cam-plate Z, issecured to the wheel y. This pawl is released from the cam-plate Z andcaused to take into the teeth of the ratchet c and move it one toothuponthe last movement of the wheel g prior to its return to zero. When thewheel g has passed 9 and should return after actuating c, a pin on thepawl 70 is brought opposite the groove 9 into which it slides, and thepawl 7t ceases to act as a check against the return of the wheel 9 byits spring 29 to its zero position. The spring 9 forces the pawlpin 70out into position against the teeth of the wheel at the end of zeroreturn movement, so that on the next movement of the wheel 9 the pawlwill again act as a check.

A centrally-pivoted plate m, having an extension m and carrying pins 171m is adapted to be operated by a cam v on the shaft '0. This cam acts onthe extension m to cause the pins m m to lift the pawls 7a tout ofactive position and allow the disks 1) c to be returned by the springspand c respectively. Assuming the disk a to be in the position of Fig. 5and that it is desired to place the indicator at zero, then the shaft Uis turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. First the cam o throws thelever d and pawl 6 out of action, and then the projection a operates thesector, releasing the pawl y, lifting the detent r, and permitting thespringp to return the disk and wheels to the position shown in Fig. 3.Upon a further movement of the cam-shaft the detent r is dropped intothe position shown in Fig. 4. The disk, however, does not occupy theposition shown in that figure un- IIO til a still further revolution ofthe shaft in setting the fare-indicator into action, which furthermovement will release the pawl e, and the pawl will by the tension ofits spring revolve the wheel fone tooth upon coming into contact withit. This places the apparatus in working position, Fig. 4, with thefirst 50 before the slit. As each distancesay four hundred meters-istraversed the disk is advanced one numeral until 1.40 is reached. When,as before described, the next distance of four hundred meters istraversed, the disk is automatically returned to the second 5O (makingthe reading 1.50) by reason of the detent 1' then occupying the positionshown in Fig. 6.

Eve claim as our invention- 1. A fare-indicator adapted to indicate andtotalize a primary rate for a given basic distance, and secondary ratesfor secondary distances, said indicator having an indicatordisk withnumerals thereon to indicate the basic rate, repeated as many times asthe basic distance is a multiple of each secondary distance, and highernumerals increasing with the secondary units traversed and means foradvancing said disk intermittently as the distance is covered, as andfor the purpose described.

2. A fare-indicator having a disk to indicate fares and means to operatesaid disk having a number of succeeding numerals to indicate a basicrate for a basic distance repeated, the succeeding numerals beingarranged in rising scale, substantially as described.

3. A fare-indicator having a disk to indicate fares, means for advancingthe disk a given distance for each given distance traversed, said diskhaving duplicate numerals in succession and also succeeding numeralsarranged in rising scale, in combination with automatic means to releasethe disk and return it toward its original position when its travel hasbeen completed and automatic means to prevent the disk returning to thefirst basic rate-numeral but to stop it at the last basic rate-numeral,as and for the purpose described.

4. A fare-indicator having a disk to indicate fares, said disk carryingduplicate numerals succeeding each other on part of the disk andnumerals in rising scale following them, means for advancing the disk,automatic means for returning it when it has completed its travel,automatic means for limiting such return movement and hand-operatedmeans to control the automatic means to return the disk to initialposition, as described.

5. A fare-indicator having an indicatingdisk, means for advancing it,adetentradapted to be operated by the primary advance of the disk andadapted to prevent its return to its original position and automaticmeans to return the disk after its extent of advance to the positionregulated for it by the detent,- substantially as described.

6. A fare-indicator having an indicatingdisk, a pawl on the disk, aratchet-wheel to advance the disk through the pawl, a flange, means forautomatically releasing the pawl from the ratchet at the travel limit ofthe disk and cause the pawl to be retained in such released positionoutside the flange, means to return the disk and means to release thepawl from the flange upon the return of the disk to cause it to takeinto the ratchet-wheel again, substantially as described.

7. A fare-indicator having an indicatingdisk, a pawl on the disk, aratchet-wheel,

means for advancing the ratchet-wheel, a flange, a spring-pawl at theterminus of the flange adapted to release the pawl of the disk from theteeth of the ratchet, an opening in the flange to release the pawl fromthe flange and means to return the disk toward its original positionupon the release of the pawl, substantially as described.

8. A fare-indicator having an indicatingdisk, a ratchet-wheel and pawlto advance it,

a second ratchet to advance the first and a pawl e for operating it, aloosely-mounted spring-controlled sector, a safety-pawl y and means foroperating the sector against its spring to release the ratchet wheels,and means for returning the wheels, and disk toward their initialpositions, substantially as described.

9. A fare-indicator having an indicatingdisk, a stop on the latter, aspring tending to keep the diskin initial position, a ratchetwheel toadvance the disk, a safety-pawl y and a pawl e to advance the wheel incombination with a loosely-mounted spring-controlled sector, adetent-lever r and means for operating the sectoragainst its spring saidsector when so operated being adapted to release the pawls e and y andpermit the disk to be returned to initial position by its spring,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our namesto this specification inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

OTTO KUNTZEN. AUGUST KAHLE.

Witnesses:

DEAN B. MASON, FRANK H. MASON, DORA FRAU KAHLE.

